


Your Only CHOICE

by Cryptic_Alchemist



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Hate, Love, Mystic Messenger - Freeform, Spy - Freeform, Story, double agent, kidnap, unknown - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 20,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21552760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cryptic_Alchemist/pseuds/Cryptic_Alchemist
Summary: The story after the intro bad ending. What happens once you go with ‘unknown’ and become his assistant? Will you look through his perspective and figure out why he hates the RFA? And agree with him enough to help him take it down?
Relationships: Choi Saeran/Main Character, Main Character (Mystic Messenger)/Other(s), Rika/V, Unknown/Main Character (Mystic Messenger)
Kudos: 10





	1. Bad End

((MC pov))

On the way home from work, I take the train. It takes about half an hour to get to and from work and I normally bring a book, but I forgot one this time.

I pull out my phone and go to social media like I normally do when I'm bored, but this isn't cutting it.

I go to the App Store to download a new game to play. I look and look and look until I come across an app called "Mystic Messenger". There was no description, but it has a five star rating so why not?

I download it and waited until finished loading and opened it.

Their was a weird green screen with computer coding and error sounds until a message comes up that looks like a text.

((Italics are MC Bold is Unknown))

**...Hello...?**

Weird... Should I answer? Is this part of the game or is it an actual person? I open the keyboard and put in a simple answer a stranger would expect texting someone.

_?_

**Can you see this?**

_Who are you?_

**I'm sure you're surprised.**

**It's not everyday you get a text from a stranger.**

**I'm a bit flustered myself. I found a smartphone at the subway station, but all it has is this messenger app.**

**I want to find the owner, but I don't see any contact info or call records...**

**I've been sending messages with this app but no reply...**

**All I see is an address and some important-looking numbers saved in the notes.**

**I'd like to go their myself but I'm currently abroad...**

_An address?_

**Yes. There's a Korean address and a long number. I think it's a password.**

**Do you mind growing to the address?**

**That's all that's saved in this phone.**

**I know your surprised to have someone suddenly pop up and ask you a favor like this.**

**But still...**

**I'd appreciate it if you could help.**

So this is an actual person...

_Why are you so obsessed with fining the owner? You can just give it to the post or the police office._

**Well... Normal people won't be able to understand...**

**To be honest, I have a religion.**

**Well, some say that it's just being nosy.**

**But I can't help but to think about how stressed the owner might be...**

**It's a really safe place. If you feel unsafe, you can turn around.**

**I know the aria, it's developed.**

**Please?**

_No. You're creepy._

**Creepy?...^^;;**

**Im not a creep...**

**Anyways...**

**I know I'm asking to much.**

**You might think I'm odd.**

**...I'm a bit odd to be honest.**

**But would you consider it? I'm talking to you right now.**

**Two complete strangers at two completely different places... It's a miracle we've connected.**

**I don't know how we got connected...**

**But maybe this was meant to be? **

**I'm returning to Korea soon, so I'll make it up to you.**

**If you feel unsafe near the place, you can just delete the app.**

**Please, I'm begging you.**

_Alright, I'm returning asap if something seems strange._

**Thank you!**

**Then I'll send you the address.**

**Now how do you do that...**

**Found it!**

I keep my phone is hand, looking at it for a moment before I walk over to the map on the train. The address is just the stop after mine, it won't take to long to just check... But should I trust this stranger? This 'Unknown' person?

I wait and get off at the stop closest to the address and start walking, it seems that the address is pet of an apartment complex. I walk up the stairs and stand I front of the door. I knock on it a few times with no reply when I feel a buzz come from my phone. It's them.

**Are you their? ^^ see. Nothing strange.**

**Is there a password lock on the door?**

_Hmm. Don't see one._

**That's strange.**

**There's really nothing?**

**There's nothing to put in the password?**

_Theres nothing._

**Really?**

**That's strange.**

**I see with my own eyes that...**

**You are standing In front of a password door lock.**

**Are you gonna continue lying?**

_What?? You can see me?_

**I guess then...**

**PLAN FAILED**

"The plan failed. I'll have to find someone else." A voice comes from behind me, a strange voice, one that sounds like a mix of a mans and a woman's. I turn quickly to seea man who looked to be about my age, white hair with pinkish tips, a large eye tattoo on his shoulder, a large sweatshirt that's hanging off his shoulders, and the weardest part was the black cloth hiding his face that only showed his greenish eyes.

"Who the hell are you!?" I ask in fear, backing up until I hit the wall.

"You don't need to know..." He said quickly, "What should I do with you...?" He stood there in thought, putting his hand on his chin and spinning around playfully as he thought, like a child, or a psychopath. "Id like to let you go, but you already know me. Sorry, but you'll have to come with me. Or I could just get rid of you... But that'd be the shame... You're so cute! You can be my assistant! Right.. He said he has an assistant.. I'd like one too... Should I use... You?" He pauses for a moment. "Come here. I'll be good to you. Come with me."

"No!" I scream, looking around for help, shaking and pushing myself against the wall to get as far away from him as possible.

"Nonsense~" he said in almost a melody. "You already know who I am, and I'll have to find a way to destroy the information you know. But your not a computer, so I can't just delete you unless I kill you. Well, you never had a choice anyways. Now, let's go. I'll be nice. I'm a much better person then him." He walks torwards me swiftly and grabs my wrist. He has the cloth over his mouth but I can tell he has a large grin. He puts a rag over my mouth and nose, I try to scream one last time for help, but instead everything goes black.


	2. Fear of Something New

((Unknown pov))

It only took a few seconds for the chloroform on the cloth to take effect on the girl. Surprising actually, I thought it would take longer!

Her knees went weak and she was about to fall when I caught her, holding her up by her shoulders and under her knees, putting her arms around me so no one is suspicious when I'm walking to the truck.

I walk to the elevator and press the 'down' button, waiting for it to come when an elderly comes and stands next to us, also waiting for the elevator. I looks at her and she looks at me, I smile a bit to her.

"Is your girlfriend ok?" She asked, referring to the girl in my arms I just kidnapped.

"Oh! Yeah, she's fine. There was a huge party last night and she passed out." I lie, of course. She smiles and nods,

"I hope she gets better" and with that, the doors open and I step in with the sweet old lady.

The ride down was a bit awkwardly silent. I whistle and look around until the doors open again. I nod to the lady then get off, walking across the street to the car parallel parked to sidewalk. I open the door to the back seats and put her in carefully, putting the seatbelt on her before closed the door and going to the driver seat, getting in and starting up the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((MC pov))

I wake up in a mucky place and seem to be laying on a gross, thin pillow that's probably suppose to be a mattress. I try to stretch out my arms since they feel stiff when I realize that my wrists are duck-taped together.

"What the hell?" I whisper tiredly, using my elbow as support to sit up.

"Oh! The princess is awake" I look up to see the white haired boy seated in the corner of the room, a laptop in his lap. But this time he didn't have a voice modifier. I back up to the wall again, pushing against the floor with my feet to push myself back. He looked sad and disappointed,

"You're still scared of me..." He puts his laptop on the ground, standing up and walking torwards me.

"HELP!!!!" I scream and yell.

"Shhhh~" he puts a finger on my lips and I quiet down, shaking in fear as I turn my head to look at him. "That's better" he said. He kneels down in front of me and looks me in the eyes, taking off the black cloth covering his face.

"Have you changed your mind yet? On being my assistant?" He asked, almost a hope in his voice. I shake my head no, to scared to speak. He sighs and stands up, taking out a knife. My eyes widen in fear, trying to scoot away from him more even if I can't. He quickly takes my arms and cuts the tape off.

"I'll wait, I'm patient" he said with a smile, it relieved me a bit, his smile made him seem more human, and people can be beaten.

He puts his knife away and walks over to his computer, picks it up and walks to the door. He opens it and smiles to me again,  
"Just call of you need me~!" He holds a key up then closes the door with a locking sound. I quickly stand up and run to the door, banging on it loudly,

"LET ME OUT!!!" I yell

"LET ME OUT-" it's cut of with a sob, collapsing on my knees crying, nocking on the door weakly now, tears dripping down my cheeks onto my sweater.


	3. Solitude

((MC Pov))

It was days, at least it felt like days. Their isn't a window to know day from night, the only way to know the time is is when they bring me breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  
The empty food trays litter the room I'm in.

Cold

Wet

Terrified

How do I get out of this?  
I curl into the corner of the room like I normally do, hugging my knees to my chest and hiding my face. That is all I could do here, there isn't anything I can do.  
Solitary.

I don't even see the people bring me the food because they bring it when I'm sleeping, or they just push it through the little slot at the bottom of the door.   
I was about to fall asleep when their was a knock at the door.

"H-hello?" I ask quietly, not really wanting whoever is on the other side to hear. The door clicks as it's unlocked and swings open with a long screech, it felt like forever to see the person behind the door.

"Have you decided yet?" I heard his voice before I saw his face. It's the last person I saw before I passed out and the first person I saw when I woke up, my kidnaper.   
His hair was still the bright white with pink tips, the large tattoo on his shoulder is unmistakable. He looks over at me and I shake my head no. I refuse to work for him.

"Awe... I really thought you would have said yes this time..." He sighs dramatically, "oh well, I guess there's always next time~" he turns around and starts walking torwards the door. I don't want to be alone again, I quickly stand up and take a step to him,  
"W-Wait!!" I don't care if he's the one who brought me here, if I stay in this room for any longer I will break, I will go insane.  
"Hmm?" He turns around to me as I grab his wrist to keep him from leaving, the cold metal from his bracelet burning my hand. He smiles and puts a hand on my cheek, I immediately recoil slapping his hand away from me. His smile disappears and he just looks at me,

"You want me to stay... But don't want me near you..." He said softly, taking a step back. "I'll come back in a little while, I have work to do." He leaves quickly, I run to the door and knock on it.

"WAIT! Come back-"

\-------------------------------------------------------------

((Unknown Pov))   
I close the door quickly and lock it, leaning against the door and taking a deep breath as I hear and feel the knocking and yelling from the other side. I wish she would just give in-

I push away from the door and walk down the long hallway, the muffled sounds of the girl getting quite as I reach the steps that lead up to the alter. I don't even look at the pews lined up facing the large setup. I walk behind it and open the door to the organization hall which has door heading off to training rooms, meeting rooms, private quarters, stuff like that.

Opening the door to my room, I immediately lock the door and flop down on my bed. Looking up at the plain white ceiling.

"How do I get her to change? To become mine..." He asked himself out loud.

Their was a knock at my door and I sit up slowly, looking at the door in suspicion.  
"Saeran, it's Rika" a woman's voice comes from behind the door, I just lay back down on by back.

"What?" I state in a monotone voice, wanting her to leave so I can think.

"I just want to know how the mission went." She said in the exact same tone I did, "it's your job to report it to me since I gave you the opportunity."

"The mission failed... The first girl I connected to didn't buy it. I'll have to find another."

"What did you do to the other girl? You didn't let her go I hope" she said, I could hear a hidden threat within her voice.

"No, I didn't. She's in the basement solitary room... I'm going to train her to be my assistant..." I said the last part softly just in case she wouldn't allow her to be my assistant.

"Ok, just make sure to giver her the test when you're ready. We don't want her to go around telling everyone about us, and if she does, both of you will be punished for it." I hear her high heels click away down the hallway after she said that. I just close my eyes and put my hands behind my head, the punishment Rika's talking about couldn't be worse than _That._


	4. fine...

((Mc POV))

Everything is like it has been for the past few weeks. Cold, lonely, stuck with my own mind. I've been thinking a lot actually, curled up in the corner of the room.   
What if I say ok to him? What if I agree with working with him? Than I can get out of here, right? I'll be able to be around others, and be comfortable... He did say he was going to take care of me right? If I was his assistant?

All these questions flow through my mind every minute of every day, even when I fall asleep my mind comes up with how it will be like if I said yes.

I stay curled up when I hear the creek of the door opening. I know who it is, it's the white haired boy, the one who took me here and the one who will take me away.

"You're not sleeping are you?" He whispers, carefully walking torwards me. I shake my head no slowly, still looking down.

He walks to me and kneels down next to me, rubbing my back tenderly like he cares. I don't move away, I don't move at all, too tired...

"Are you ok? You look like you're half dead." He said, chuckling a small bit like it was forced. I still don't say anything, staying quiet.

What would it be like if I said yes to him? Would I stay here is I say no? How do I get out of here? Yes, or no?

"I can see that your thinking. Are you thinking about the question I asked you?" I nod yes softly. Did I answer that right? Should I have stayed quiet? I feel as if every thing I say changes my ending.

"Well, you can tell me what your thinking. If you want." He said, pulling his hand away from me and just sitting next to me. I shake my head no. I don't want to tell him anything that I'm thinking, but their is a question I need to ask.

"W-Will you kill me if I say no?" I say quietly, not looking up. Long moments pass before answers which seems like forever.

"Yes, if you don't agree to work with me, I will have to kill you. Sadly" he said it straight to the point, not disguising it prevent me from flipping out, which I appreciate. I stay calm and nod, death doesn't seem so bad now that I'm in this situation. I feel like this is a road, a singular road floating in the sky. I can continue forward where I'm forced to work for my kidnaper, or step off the side of the road to avoid it all.

I come back to reality and the unknown man is pacing back and forth in the room. I look up slowly, squinting torwards the light, my face red and puffy from constantly crying. His mint green eyes look at me and he grins a bit,

"Have you decided yet?" He asked me.

"Why are you still here...?"

"Well I need an assistant, and I need one now, I've been pretty busy lately. So I need an answer from you, will you stay? Or will you go?" He stops pacing and pulls out a gun from behind his jacket. My eyes widen in fear as he loads it, puts the safety off, then points it at me. 

"What's your answer?"

I stay frozen, my mind racing a thousand miles per hour.

Yes. No?

Should I?

How do I answer?

He stands their motionless and expressionless, the pistol in his hand. I keep looking up at him, scared that if I look away I will be shot before I answer. I take deep breaths, trying to calm down so I can make a reasonable answer.

Breath in  
Breath out

Breath in  
Breath out

What do I do?!

"Come on. What's the answer! I just told you that I'm busy! I don't have time just standing here!" He said loudly but calmly. I flinch a bit, then after a moment, I nod slowly.

"yeah...." I mumble. "Yeah I'll do it" I said louder, my voice hitching from sudden tears. I look back down at the ground, the tears slipping off my cheek on to my lap.   
He puts the gun away and kneels down I front of me and wiping my tears away with his sleeve.

"Come on, let's go" he stands back up and holds a hand out to me, I take it and pull myself up. I keep looking down, he holds me up by putting his arm around my shoulder. He walks to the door and I walk with him, walking out of the door into a hallway, walking up the stairs into a place that looks like a church.


	5. Peace

((Saeran's POV))

She finally said yes, after a long wait I finally got what I wanted. An assistant. An assistant like her is perfect, I've been watching her for a while before I lead her to downloading the app, and I can tell that with a little work, she can be like me. We're actually vary similar, I think, she wants the same things I want, she's ambitious. Of course, she knows how to live, I only know how to servive, and when I am living I'm fulfilling my goals of revenge. But that can't be done without her.

I lead her to my room, since it will take a while for her to get her own room and clothes, she can share mine. I close the door behind me so Rika doesn't disrupt us, I want the girl to have a proper introduction to the organizations leader.

"I never got your name..." She said softly, sitting down at the chair in the corner of my room.

"My name is Saeran." I said in a monotone voice, wanting to stay a bit frightening to her. "What's you're name?" I realized I didn't actually know, so I asked.

"You don't know my name?"

"Nope."

"So you just kidnaped me at random?"

"Mm... Nope, there was definitely reason it was you."

"How do you not know who I am?"

"Can you just answer my question?!"

"M-My name... I don't really like my name, I just go by my nickname... Mc"

"Oh... Ok" I say, not really knowing how to keep the conversation going.

"Where are we?" She added, keeping herself curled up a bit, hidden.

"The church of the organization of the mint eye." I said matter of factly.

"I've never heard of that organization before..."

"Well it isn't well known, we try to keep ourselves hidden." I explain to her. She stays quiet and nods. The room stays uncomfortably quite for a long time.

......

"I'll go get you some clothes to change into while I clean the ones you're wearing... There's I shower in the bathroom right there if you want to clean yourself... Ummm.... I'll leave the clothes on the bed. I'm going to be back in a little while..." I said, she immediately goes into the bathroom and closes the door, locking it. I sigh and look through my closet, looking for something that would fit her and look cute on her.

I quickly find a perfect outfit. A green and yellow sweater on top of a black tank top, I also chose a black pleated skirt thing with leggings that have the leg bones on them, along with combat boots. I set it carefully on the bed, then exit the room. Time to clear my tracks and keep the officers from looking for my Mc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
((Mc POV))

I quickly head to the bathroom and lock the door. I don't want to be near him. I don't want to be here. Any chance I have I'll be alone, scared for my future... Will Saeran actually care for me? Or will be use me for his pleasures and needs?

I strip down and leave my dirty clothes on the sink, which has surprising amount of cosmetics on it, going to the shower and turning on the water to hot, and getting in.  
The warm water running over me feels like heaven. I just stand there for a moment, letting the dirt and muck wash off of me. Even before I do anything I feel a million times cleaner then I did before. I squeeze a handful of shampoo onto my hand and scrub my hair clean, rinsing it then doing the same to by body.

I stand there for a little longer even after I finish washing myself. Thinking about the things I thought about when I was in the basement. The amount of time I spent by my self in that room doesn't seem like so much now, it feels like forever since I've been in there even though it's been a couple of minutes.

I turn the water off and dry myself, putting back on my underwear and bra since saeran probably doesn't have any for me to borrow.

I unlock the door and open it slowly, peeking into the room to check if he's still there before walking out half naked. I don't see him, so I open the door fully and step out as I wrap my hair in a towel.

The clothes left out for me on his bed were obviously from his wardrobe, it was a cute outfit though.  
He has good taste. 


	6. Covered

((Saerans POV))

The tech room was empty other than myself. I sat at one of the computer systems and start to make everything about Mc unavailable to anyone other than us. Anyone looking for her will think that she never existed once I finish the wipe through of her personal information.

I spent a long time in there, a couple of hours I think. I wonder what Mc is doing? If Rika found her yet and is questioning her. I hope not... I finish and test it, nothing available to anyone other than me! Great! Now she can't be tracked and we'll still have access to her files.

I check the time and it's been about three hours since I left Mc. I get up and walk through the maze of halls back to my room. I open the door to find Mc sitting on the bed reading a book that she got from my small library. Of course, it's just books like 'computer code 101', which is actually what she's reading right now.

"Not much of a read is it" I said, walking to my cabinet and unlocked it, putting Mc's files in, than locking it back up again.

"Not really... I kinda need to know this stuff now though..." She looked up at me with a burning glair, blaming me for all that has happened to her, and she's right.

"How did you know that you'll need to do computer coding?" I said, putting the key in my pocket and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"All of your books are about it, I guessed..."

"Hm, smart! We need that" I said, standing up and picking up her dirty clothes and walking to the door, "I'll go wash this..."

She didn't respond, didn't even look at me.

I just nod and walk out of the door.

\---------------

((MC POV))

I just lay on the bed reading this boring book about computer coding, trying to waist my time away. I don't understand why I'm here or why it had to be me. I was just starting my last year of college and now all that stuff I did is pointless, if I knew this would happen to me, I wouldn't have done anything with it. Of course, maybe this happened because I had a goal in life, maybe it's just the unfairness of life people keep talking about.

I use to live thinking that if you didn't like what you're doing, then you should stop doing it. Life is to short to do stuff you don't like to do. But now I understand what others tried to tell me, that they couldn't do that because something was forcing them to stay where they were. And now I understand.

I sigh and lay the book face down on the bed and close my eyes, maybe I can finally get a restful sleep. As long as Saeran doesn't come back for a while.

I try to sleep, but I can't, theirs still to much going through my head. I sit up and look around the room. It's a plain room, not that much personal stuff. He probably keeps all his other stuff in the locked closet over there, or stored on his computer that's sitting on his desk.

I get up and sit back down at his deck and open the laptop.

Password protected...

Of course.

I guess a lot of average passwords but none of them were right. It's not like I can look around for clues for what his password is since it's all locked away.

I close the computer and spin in the swivel chair to face the other side of the room. The bed, side table, and door.

What am I even supposed to do here?


	7. You are Invited

((Mc's POV))

I hear the door squeak open again. I sigh out loud in annoyance. He couldn't have possibly done what he said he would do that quickly.

"Saeran I thought you got the message that I don't want to see you rig-"

"I'm not Saeran." A feminine voice rang out. In surprise, I look up to see a beautiful young woman. She has long, wavy blonde hair that transitions to a lighter color, bright lime colored eyes and fair skin. She walks over to me and holds a hand out to me.

I take her hand and put the book down, standing up facing her. She takes both of my hands in hers and takes a breath,

"Hello Mc, I'm the Savior, your Savior." She said calmingly, her eyes looking upon me softly.

"W-Who are you?" I ask, studying her appearance and her reactions.

"I just told you, I'm the Savior. I'm the founder of the Mint Eye. I assume that you're well?"

"Y-yeah... I'm ok" I said, not wanting to upset her since she said she's the leader of this place, she could easily hurt me.

"That's not how you feel. Tell me the truth"

"A-Actually..." I pause, running the words through my head, filtering stuff I think she wouldn't want to hear, "...I miss my family, my friends... My parents are probably worried sick about me." I look down, not wanting to see her expression. I pull my hands away from hers.

"Everyone is family at Mint Eye. Everyone is your father, mother, siblings, and friends. It is paradise, my sweet child." She said, placing a hand on my cheek and forced me to look up at her. I nod slowly, not wanting to defy her.

"And I invite you, to the party of paradise!" She said, smiling. I'm invited? I have no idea what that means or what she wants me to do.

"W-what does that mean?" I ask, confused.

"You can join Mint Eye, and be free from the prosecution of the unclean, and be a part of our family. If you say yes, you will be cleansed in a ceremony. So, do you want to join?" She asked, looking at me. Do I even have much of a choice? It reminds me of when Saeran asked if I wanted to work with him, one choice and I will be stuck in hell, and the other I would be dead. What would be the point in saying yes to Saeran and not saying yes to her?

"I'll join." I said softly as I nodded. She drops her hand from my chin and I feel like I can finally breathe. She smiles and reaches her hand out to me,

"Then come with me to the alter, I'll cleanse you" she said, I take her hand and she leads me into the large room I saw when I first left the basement. She brings me up the stairs to a place in front of a large alter. I look at the table next to us to see water, a fantasy blade, and a vile filled with a strange substance.

"Ready?" She asked, still smiling. I nod.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Saeran's POV))

I try to put Mc's clothes in the washer as quickly as I could, not wanting to leave her alone for a long period of time just in case Rika gets to her before she's ready. I start walking back to my room when I noticed everyone heading in the direction of the altar. I head back to the room and open the door to find the room empty. Out of realization, I run to the alter.

Our savior, Rika, is already standing up their in her ceremonial dress next to Mc. I watch intently just as everyone else is. Rika picks up the blade and puts it in the pure water, taking it out and taking Mc's hand and gliding the sharp end against the palm of her hand.

I remember that when I was was invited to join Mint Eye. It was painful if I remember right, really painful. Later on I remember learning that the hand has 3 major nerves that made it hurt so bad.

I draw my attention back up to them, Mc was holding her blood dripping hand above the pure water, turning it from a Crystal clear to a dark red. Rika wraps Mc's hand in gauze then turns to the bowl of blood. Reaching for the vile of the weird liquid, she uncaps it and drops one drop of it into the red bowl. Just like every other time, the red liquid quickly turns back to a crystal clear, like magic. Everyone claps and cheers for the end of the ceremony. Rika hands Mc the vile of the liquid and tells her something. When I was young and she gave it to me, she said something about adding a drop of it to every drink I share with a meal, and it will cleanse me.

Everyone makes their way out of the chapel to continue their work, but I stayed. I waited for the crowd to die down, then I walk up to them, expecting an explanation from Rika.


	8. New Fear

((Saeran's POV))

I walk up to Rika and Mc after the alter clears out.

"What the hell! You could have told me!" I said sternly to the savior. She looks over at me in disgust.

"I don't need to tell you anything Saeran. I know Mc is under your command, but she's also under mine." She said harshly. Mc looks up from her bleeding hand to me. Her gaze completely different then when I first saw her, she's no longer scared.

"Rika, what did you do to her?!" I asked,missing the innocence in her eyes.

"I did nothing to her" Rika said proudly, "you did"

"How did-! How could-?" I had trouble with my wording, to angered to even come up with what I want to say.

"You moved her along to fast." Rika states, taking a closer step to Mc.

"Don't touch her" I yelled, taking Mc's arm and pulling her away, but she doesn't move. She pulls back with the same force.

"I'm not going with you" she said, pressing on the wound on her hand with the gauze. I just stand there in awe. My eyebrows furrow together in annoyance. I tsk and stomp away to my room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Mc's POV))

"Mc, I assigned you with Saeran when he first brought you here, I can't change it for a while. If you want to be removed from his command, I can work on that, but it will take a while." Rika explains to me, I nod. My face washed in an emotionless state, I look at her.

"Do I have my own room? Or do I have to stay with him?" I ask, not wanting to face Saeran after what just happened.

"We're setting up a room for you, you have to stay with Saeran for the rest of today andtonight" Rika said. I sighed and nodded, bowing softly to her,

"Thank you, savior..." I say with regret, avoiding eye contact with her as I stood back up straight, walking back to the room.

I open the door to find Saeran pouting on his bed, curled up and facing the wall. He ignored me as I walked in, I pull the swivel chair to the middle of the room and sit down. Spinning in circles as I waited for him to say something, it's not my fault for me ending up like this, it was his, he should say sorry.

"Did it hurt" he mumbled, staying still. I turn to face him,

"Did what hurt?" I asked in a monotone voice, wondering if he was going to do that crapy pickup line.

"When you cut your hand..." He said quietly, turning over to face me, but still curled and pouting.

"No... Just stung a bit..." I said, looking down at the blood soaked cloth wrapped around my hand.

"I remember that it hurt a lot... When I was invited to join." He said, looking forward, not at me.

"Pussy" I chuckled a bit

"Hey!" He said, sitting up and looking at me, "really!! Maybe it just hurt so much because I was in middle school at the time, young.." He said, looking at me in annoyance. I chuckle and spin in the chair again, getting dizzy and holding onto the side of the chair.

"Did Rika give you a room yet?" He asked, laying back down.

"Not yet... You have to deal with me for a while longer" I said, the spinning of the chair slowly stoping.

"Ugh.. Ok" Saeran wines, pulling out his phone and holds it closely to his face, probably playing a game or something so he doesn't have to pay attention to me.

"Saeran" I said harshly

"Hmm..." He hums as a response.

"I'm still under your protection and command, you can't just ignore me" I said, "or else I'll tell Rika and she'll remove you from command" I threatened. He smirks, looking up at me,

"Your starting to sound like me" he said in almost an evil tone. At that point, I knew I wasn't scared of them anymore, I was scared of myself.


	9. Control

((Saeran's POV))

We just sit there in an awkward silence, Mc looking down in fear for something that I don't know. Maybe it has to do with what I said earlier about her becoming more like me. I sigh and turn back around yo lay facing the wall.

"I will never be like you..." She scowls at me from her seat. I don't respond, act like I'm sleeping or something to keep her from talking to me.

"Saeran! I know you hear me!" She yells, out of annoyance, I quickly sit up and turn to face her with a glare.

"WHAT?!" I yell loudly at her, now hoping to scare her off. But she continues to look at me the same way she did before, she didn't even flinch when I yelled at her.

"I hope you understand that once I am released from your control, I want nothing to do with you again." She spoke, looking at me as I looked at her. A comfortable science fell upon us, but maybe it was an uncomfortable science to her.

"You're not going to be released from my command for a while. New members stick with their leaders until they graduate training. Normally, training lasts for a little more than a year. But if you try and work hard, you can graduate early." I told her, wanting my words to motivate her to work harder and graduate early to get away from me, because honestly, at this point I don't want to be around her either. The fragile quite falls around us again. She stands up and walks to the door.

"Where are you going?" I ask her, my eyes fallowing her movement across the room to the door.

"You said that if I work hard, I'll graduate faster... I'm going to study" she hisses as she walks out the door, slamming it behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((MC POV))

I storm off in the direction that I think is the direction of the library. I keep my gaze at my feet as I walk, not wanting to depress myself with the unfamiliar hallways. As I walk, I see other feet pass me, as well as some people asking if I was ok. I ignore them, their words sounding like mumbles to me. They soon leave and I just stay still, looking up, I realize that my wondering trying to find a liberty got me hopelessly lost. I sigh loudly and lean against the wall, sliding down until I'm sitting on the cold hard wood. I hide my face in my knees as I sit there. Clicking of shoes getting louder and louder, closer to me in the hallway.

People's feet gather around me, people kneeling around me, mumbles of concern rang through my ears.

"Mc, are you ok?" A familiar voice called out, the crowd parting. Rika kneels down in front of me and places her hand on my shoulder. I look up at her with red puffy eyes, trying to refrain myself from crying. Rika, the people around her, for some reason they all seem like they care about me, even if they barely even know me.

"Leave" Rika orders the others around us in a stern but kind way. The crowd dispersed and left me alone with the savior.

"What's wrong?" She asked, kneeling next to me. I shrug, I don't know specifically what's wrong, it's more all the stresses at once. "Those people told me that they were worried about you, I came to ask you what's wrong" she pressed, wanting something other than silence from me.

"This place really is like a family" I say softly to myself, chuckling a bit. She smiles a bit and nods.

"And you're a part of it now" she said, I think she's trying to cheer me up, but that's not what I'm upset about. I hide my face in my knees again,

"I don't want to be around Saeran anymore." I mumble softly. I heard a slight giggle from beside me from Rika,

"He kinda is an ass. But I know he cares for you deep down, it's just hidden, I doubt be even knows that he cares for you" she said softly, I look back up at her and sigh, that wasn't the words I wanted to hear, I wanted to hear her say that I can get my own room, or I can be removed from his control, or better yet, I can leave this place and go back to my normal life.

"You can't go back, if that's what you want..." Rika said as if she read my mind, "from the moment you answered Saeran's Text, and went to the apartment, you're life became entangled with this organization"

"Can't we just... Just untangle it?" I said, not hopeful at all that she'll say yes.

"Your only choices are to stay tangled, or cut all ties. But when you cut all ties, we do too. And since you know about us, we would have to eliminate you." She said in a monotone voice. I don't speak for a long time, neither does she, the silence almost drives me into insanity. I take a deep breath to start speaking,

"So, where's the library?" I ask, looking forward to avoid her gaze. I've made my decision, I'm going to live, and I'm going to make the best of this life that I can make it.


	10. Emotion

((Saeran's POV))

Mc hasn't been back in a few hours, my head starts to think of different bad situations she might have had, and my stomach keeps turning as my mind keeps running on and on. I haven't felt like this in a long time, the last time I felt like this is before Rika came to me, when I was waiting for him to come home.

Am I really worried about her? I haven't known her for vary long, or even feel like I care about her right now. I mean, I cared about her before she made me mad at her. I sigh loudly and flop on my back onto the bed, my arms sprawled out as I look up at the blank ceiling. Feelings are to hard to understand and cope with, that's why I've given up on them years and years ago, so why are they coming back? I thought it was for sure that I hid them well enough so they would never arise, but here they are. A tangle of knots and loops of emotions in my head and my chest, each of them battling to try to find their way out.

The more I think about her, the more the emotions rise in my chest. I can't take it anymore! I cover my face with my pillow and screen out into it, releasing all that's in my chest into the fluff of my pillow so no one can hear it. I take the pillow off my face and take deep breaths, trying to regain the oxygen that I lost as I expelled the jumble from my chest and head.

Everything goes back to what it normally was, no emotion to bother me or my work. I can't have feelings get in the way of what I want to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Mc's POV))

Hours of reading this, hours reading that, a few more jotting notes down over and over so the information I need stays in my head. I feel as if I'm in the basement again in the way that I only know the amount of time I've been here based on the meals I get. It seems every five hours, Rika walks in and gives me a try of food, forcing me to stop my work to eat, she also comes around 6 hours after the last meal of the day to force me to sleep, and 9 hours later I wake up to do it all over again.

"Mc, you've been in here for weeks now." Rika said, sitting next to me at the table I've been stationed at all this time.

"I know-" I mumble out as I finish the book on security systems. I look up at her. I probably smell awful, I haven't showered or done anything hygienic in the time I've been here, I've just slept, eaten, and have been studying this entire time.

"Mc," she said in a slight giggle, but I've talked with her enough now to know that it was fake, she's all just fake. "I know you hate me saying this, but no matter what, you act just like Saeran!" She said with an ugly smile on her face.

"Ugh." I grunt out, standing up and grabbing the book I just finished, putting it back on the shelf it came from. "When are you going to stop talking to me about that, or at all, I'm doing work here that is basically life or death for me" I said in an attempt of annoyance, even if I'm just have no emotional correlation at the moment. I grab the next book on the shelf that has to do with work and not recreational reading or activities.

"Mc!" She said harshly this time, I look up at her as I put the new book down at the table, "you can't live like this! And if you can't take care of yourself, I'll have to ground you from work for the time being!"

"You can't do that" I said, sitting down and looking back at my book, opening it up.

"I'm the leader of this place, I have the absolute power and authority to do that." She said, closing the book I just opened and pulled it away from me. I look up at her in frustration, not fake frustration but actual frustration. "And as I am in that position of power, I order you to go take a shower, maybe take a nap in an actual bed instead of on the table with your head in a book!" She said, collecting all my notebooks that I've been filling out. "And I'll be keeping these for a while until I see fit that you'll be taking care of yourself" she stands up and walks to the exit of the library.

"Where do I shower?! Or lay down?! I don't even have a room yet?!" I yell at her as she walks out, she stops and turns around with a sly smile,

"Go ask Saeran if you can use his, I'm sure he won't mind" she said happily, fully knowing that I would rather sleep on a bed of thorns before going to talk to him, but she gave me an order, and as much as I hate the order and don't trust her, I have to do it since she also has the power and the authority to rid me of life.


	11. Awkward Annoyance

((Saeran's POV))

I sigh as I walk down the long hallway to my room after dinner. It's been a while since I've seen Mc, and to be honest, the time I did spend with her now feels like it never happened. I guess my brain found the memory's that don't follow my normal routine and decided it was a dream.

I reach the handle of the door and open it to my orthodox room. Everything seems to be where I put it other then the pile of clothes next to the bathroom door, and after a while of paying attention, I hear the water running from the shower in the bathroom. The clothes on the floor, now that I look at them, looks like the clothes I gave Mc when she said yes.

"Mc! Do you need new clothes?" I ask loudly to her from the other side of the door.

"No! I found my other clothes on your desk! So I took them" she said. I could sense a little bit of annoyance in her voice, almost like she was trying to sound neutral through her annoyance.

"Ok" I responded, walking over to my bed and layed down. Any of my annoyance for her has disappeared, but my care for her has gone down too. Even if I only knew here for a little before she left, it's almost like she's a stranger now. The white noise of the water disappeared, and I hear the shower curtains screech open then closed.

"Why are you even back yet? Dinner isn't over." I hear Mc say from beyond the closed door, I sit up and sit crisscross on my bed.

"Even if I get to the great hall after everyone else, I always leave before anyone else." I say in response to her question, running a hand through my hair as I wait for her to finish so I can wash the day off of me. "I don't really want to interact and I eat quickly, it doesn't take up much of my time." I clarified more.

"If you don't want to be around you others, why did you decide you needed me as an assistant." She said more annoyed then the other times she spoke. The bathroom door unlocks and opens, Mc walks into the same room I'm in. Her clothes are the ones I cleaned for her, her jeans and champagne colored sweater top. A towel is tied around her hair like an intricate head wrap. I don't answer her for a moment, trying to determine why she looks so different then when the first time I met her. "Hello? I asked you a question?!" She said, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Did you start wearing makeup?" I ask, knowing that it's random but I want to know why she looks so different. She looked at me in bewilderment and almost disgust.

"Uh, I always wear at least a little bit of makeup," she said, "why?" She said in a confused manner, looking at me strangely.

"You just.. look different" I said, realizing that I either sounded stupid, cheesy, or trying to flirt. I mentally punch myself for not thinking about what I was saying.

"I stayed the same," she said matter of factly, but then she pointed to her brain, "this changed, and its all thanks to you." She said sarcastically. I sit there thinking for a while. I didn't imagine that this lifestyle would break her so fast, but it also built her up in record time as well.

"Yeah.." I said softly, standing up and going to my closet to grab clothes, then head to the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower. You can stay here, or whatever" I said before closing the door and turning on the water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Mc's POV))

Almost as soon as he closes the door, the phone that Rika gave me almost a week ago that I never use buzzed,

'I'm also ordering you to stay there for the night and sleep in a real bed. If you don't want to sleep next to Saeran, either move him to the floor or deal with it

-Rika'

Oh hell no. I stand up hand head to the door and try to leave when I found that the door was locked. My phone buzzed again, I pull it out and look at it,

'Also, I'm locking the door so you can't leave. You need to make up with Saeran, after all, he is your leader and your part of his team

-Rika'

I sigh out loud and roll my eyes in an exaggerated way, hopeing that in some way that Rika heard that from the other side of the door.

"Saeran! Do you have a door key somewhere in here?!" I yell to him as I look frantically around his room for a key to unlock the door. The water stops and Saeran's voice comes from inside of the bathroom,

"No! Why?" He said loudly so I can hear him just as I did. I sigh again and walk to the bathroom door and lean against the wall beside it,

"Rika locked it. Something about how we have to 'make up'." I said, making little air quotations even if I know that no one can see me.

"Sooo.... we're both stuck in this room for the night.. together?" He said, I could tell he was annoyed about the situation too, probably not as as I was though.

"Yeah" I said, answering his rhetorical question. This is going to be a long night..


	12. Fatigue

((Saeran's POV))

I start gathering the extra blankets and pillows from the closet and setting them up as comfortably as I could on the floor. When I was done, it closely resembled a queen sized bed, except there was no mattress separating you from the floor, jut a thin blanket.

"So who's sleeping on the floor?" I ask softly, looking up at Mc who was reading one of my books on my bed, "I call not it!!" I say quickly before she can claim it. Her eyes shot up to meet mine,

"Nah-uhh!!" She said pouty and factfully, "Rika said I can sleep on the bed since I haven't slept in a real bed in a week!" She said as if she was defending her territory, as if she was a child who would go tattletale on me to mother or something.

"Well who's fault is that!? Oh, right, yours!" I said, crossing my arms and looking at her.

"As if you would let me sleep in your bed if I stayed with you" she mumbles angerly under her breath, looking back at the book, "I get the bed. End of argument." She said swiftly, making an awkward silence that felt like I couldn't break. I stayed quiet, but I'm formulating a strategy in my head to get my bed back from her.

I sit at my desk quietly, typing away on the keyboard and making sure the screen was turned away so Mc couldn't see what I was doing.

'S: Rika what the hell?!! Why are you locking me in here with this insane girl!'

I sent her a message over a messenger on my computer, almost seconds later I get a reply,

'R: Saeran, you would already know the answer to that question if you just talked to her. I'm not responding to any of your messages after this, good night.

And with that my rage was lit on fire again. I stand up and slam my laptop shut. I walk over to the bed, get on the bed, prop my back against the wall, and with almost all my force, I press my feet up against Mc and push her out of the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud.

"OWW!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!!?" She yelled from beyond the cliff which is the side of my bed.

"I'm sick and tired of you thinking that you're going to get everything you want!!" I said, sitting in the middle of the bed in a way that I wouldn't beable to be moved, "I know Rika's been treating you like a little princess, but that's not how this job works, sweety" I said in a sarcastic, hateful tone.

I start to hear quite, soft crys from the foot of my bed, and I leave the comfort of my station in the middle of the bed to peek over to check to see if Mc was alright. When I peeked over, I saw a small pool of blood forming from her head, she is holding the side of her head painfully as she was curled up in the fetal position.

"Oh my god." I mutter under my breath, I quickly get up and run to the bathroom to grab a damp towel, and run back to Mc, "here, hold this on your head for now!" I hand it to her and she slowly takes it and presses it to the dark red spot almost right next to her right temple. I sit her up slowly and pick her up, bringing her to the bathroom and sitting her on toilet seat so I have better lighting and so I'm closer to the materials needed to make her better.

I grab my computer and type quickly into the message to Rika that Mc was hurt, but then I see what she wrote before, and that she probably won't even check her messages from me either think this a ruse to get her to let us out. I sigh and head back to the bathroom and look through the cupboard above the sink for bandages, anti-infectints, and pain relievers.

I find all the stuff I need and carefully comb her hair away from the injury, I could see her wince whenever I brushed near it. I then sprayed the anti-infection spray on the wound, she pulled away from me violently when I did that, her eyes tight in pain as she also crys out.

"It's almost over" I say softly and calmly under my breath, one to make her feel better, but mostly to make me feel better. I don't like to see her hurt, especially when I know I'm the one to cause her all this pain. I put the pain reliever gel on the wound then wrap her head in a bandage carefully and snugly.

I look at my hands, Coverd in her blood. The I look at her face, half of it dripping from the wound. I cup her face in my hands carefully, feeling the burning in my eyes as tears make my vision go burry,

"I'm so sorry.." I cry out softly to her, making sure she looks at me as I say it. Her empty eyes looking back at me with nothing, not even the normal hate or fear she has for me. She reaches her hand up to my face and cups my cheek to with a soft smile of her face. I smile a bit back, it was mostly forced, I didn't want her to feel any more pain though.

"Let's clean you up" I say as I get a new towel wet and carefully wipe away the red from her face and hands as well as my own. She seemed very tired, she let me move all her limbs for her other then her head, which faced me wherever I went. I began to get worried that other damage may have happend. I sit in front of her and take her hands into my own,

"How do you feel?" I ask her in a sort of monotone voice, not wanting my emotions to sway her answer.

"My head hurts, that's it" she said back softly, focusing her eyes on me.

"Would it be ok if I asked questions to make sure your ok?" I ask, she nods slowly and I proceed to ask her questions that have obvious answers, like, what's your first name? What's your last name? How did we meet? When's your birthday? What day is it? And such. Quickly the questions end I I diagnose that nothing else is wrong with her other then just that she needs sleep.

I pick her up slowly and make my way to the bed where I lay her down softly and cover her in the blanket, her eyes close softly and almost immediately she falls asleep. I clean up the blood on the floor at the bace of my bed and afterwards turn off all the lights. I look at the floor, then the empty space next to Mc. I climb into the bed and lay down so my back is facing her, and in the darkness, my mind takes over and I my eyes close, leading me into a deep sleep.


	13. Confusion

((Mc's POV))

I woke up with my head pounding in pain. My eyes close tightly as I sit up, wincing in agony because my head. Softly, I reach my hand up to touch my head, bandages, damp bandages. I looks at my fingers that grazed the bandage, the tips being stained red in blood. In confusion I look down at the pillow I was laying on, the place I was laying also being stained dark red.

What happened? I look around me as my vision comes into focus, I don't recognize anything. Who's room is this? Is it mine?

Wait

Who am I? What's my name? I look beside me and a young man about my age was laying next to me sleeping. Was he my boyfriend? Seriously what's going on?!

"Umm..." I was about to ask the weird white haired boy what was happening, but I couldn't even think of any questions to ask. I just shake him softly until he moves around a bit and rubs his eyes.

"What.. ?Mc.. it's early in the morning, just sleep.." he asked groggily, sitting up and looking at me with a half asleep expression. I sit there looking at him for a second, trying to think of a question to ask him.

"So... my name is Mc? That's weird... who names their kid Mc?" I said, kinda talking to myself, his expression changed though. His eyes went from a tired look to worry. His hand lifted to my head where the bandage is,

"Oh yeah.. what happend to me?" I ask, looking at him, "and who are you? I thought you were my boyfriend... are you?"He didn't seem to be listening to me, just looking at my head probably thinking about what has happened.

"Sorry. What?" He asked, his mind coming back to reality.

"What happened to me?" I ask again slowly, the pain in my head coming back in waves.

"I...." he stops what he was saying and looks down, "you should have been fine. I checked your memory last night and you were fine.." he said, pulling his hand away from me and covering his eyes. Soft weeps came from under the shield of his hands. He wipes his eyes quickly as he gets up and out of bed, walking to the door that I guess leads out of the room.

"I'm going to go get the savior... maybe she can help..." he said before opening the door and closing it behind him as he leaves. I sit on the bed in confusion, trying to recall who I am and what has happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Saeran's POV))

As soon as I leave the room I bolt down the hall to the saviors office, hopeing that she's awake, but if she isn't, I'm going to her room for help. I don't even bother knocking on the large wooden doors that lead into her office.

I open them dramatically to bring attention to me. The room is lit like if normally is, just lamps and small lights illuminating the space, the soft light falling on two figures. Rika was sitting behind her desk talking to V who was in front of her, both their eyes move to me and stop talking quickly.

"Saeran! You can't just-"

"MC!!" I said, interrupting her as she tried to accuse me of something that wouldn't be ok if it wasn't an emergency. Her face grew stiff and angery as she looked at me,

"What about Mc" she asks in a harsh one note tone, standing up as she looks at me.

"Well.. it's a long story about things that happened last night. I...." I don't want to tell her that I hurt Mc, even if I did it accidentally.

"You...?" She said, walking around her desk and to me.

"I.... accidentally hurt her, her head, it's.... I cleaned it up last night and she was fine! But this morning she.." I look down and cross my arms as if I'm shielding myself, "she doesn't remember" I said softly looking up at at Rika.

"She doesn't remember what?" She asked, I could hear skepticism in her voice.

"Anything.." I say quietly and quickly, looking back down at my feet. Her eyes widen,

"What?!" She shoves me out of the way and walks swiftly but purposely to my room. I fallow behind her, still looking down at the ground. The extra sound of another set of footsteps also tell me that V is fallowing close behind as well. 

Rika opens the door and I fallow her in. Mc was still sitting on the bed, counting something on her fingers and looking vary confused. I hear Rika take a deep breath and talk torwards Mc and sits next to her, taking her hands into her own and talking quietly so I guess either me nor V can hear. The little mumbles coming from Rika and the nods by Mc made me think that Rika was telling her what she forgot, but then I heard a small statement and I knew that the savior was telling her nothing but lies.

I listen more closely and I hear her telling Mc what this organization is, and how she's always been in it, how she's 'one of the best'. I grumble and ball my hands to fists in anger, I take a step forward to tell her off when I feel a touch on my shoulder. I turn and glair at V who was shaking his head no at me, like he was telling me not to do whatever I was going to do.

"SERIOUSLY?!! WHAT THE HELL!!" I yell at him, pulling my shoulder away from him quickly and disgusted. I turn to Rika and walk up angerly to her, "JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE THE SAVIOR DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CAN TAKE HER LIFE AWAY FROM HER!! HER MEMORIES OF HER PAST LIFE ARE HERS TO KEEP AND NOT YOURS TO MANIPULATE!" I yell and scream to her, my face heating up and my nails digging into the palm of my hand.

"Umm.. what does he mean?" Mc asked the lying snake everyone calls Rika. Rika was just looking at me in anger and disappointment as Mc continues to ask questions. Rika stood up and walked past me,

"Saeran, see me in the hall" she said as she walked out the door, I let a large breath of air out in a loud sigh as I fallow her into the hallway.

"What?" I asked her, annoyed that she would do so far as what she just did to 'manage' Mc. Her face was red with anger, her hand lifted up quickly and swiftly, swinging at me with all she had in her. The pain in the side of my face was unbearable and I fell to the ground, tears coming to my eyes.

"That's right. You should be kneeling to me. Because, what am I? Saeran?" She said, a twisted sweetness in her voice. I sat there on my knees in front of her, holding my burning cheek as tears fell to the ground,

"Y-y-your the leader..." I said softly, "o-our savior"

"And what do you have to say to me?" She asked, looking down at me regally.

"I-I'm sorry. I was o-out of place to do that.." I said, hunching over and leaning against the wall. Rika nods and heads back into the room, leaving me curled up in the hallway.


	14. Opportunity

((Saeran's POV))

I'm locked in my room again. Rika and V took Mc to medical care and left me here with the door locked. Since twelve thirty I've been sitting and waiting here, it's now six fourteen pm and I realize that I could be doing something productive, but I don't want to. I've been thinking and stuck inside my own mind for about six hours.

When I finally lay down to try to sleep, my door unlocked and opens, Rika walks in without the look of disgust and disappoint she had when she left me here. She pulls up my desk chair to face my bed and sits down, waiting for me to sit properly to talk.

"I'm not going to sit up, I've been sitting up for ever and I just want to lay down" I said quietly, closing my eyes in a board exhaustion.

"Ok." She said, "you at least have to listen to what I have to say, it's about your mission" my ears perk up and I sit up to look at her,

”What about my mission?" I ask, all the things I was thinking about before has left my mind, now flooded with poisoned thoughts of destruction and revenge.

"V and I had a meeting this morning, he said that the RFA have been seriously debating about splitting up. Saeran, if you want to succeed, you need to take chances and go for it now, or you'll never have the chance to make your brother suffer the way he did to you." She said calmly as if she was measly an AI telling me information. I nod in response and stand up,

”I understand, I'll be in the computer room looking for a new person to use for my plan" I said as I walk to the door.

"Don't mess it up this time" I heard her say from behind me.

"I won't"


	15. Memory for Revenge

((Saeran's POV))

I've worked long and hard without many breaks since what happened a few days ago, trying to keep my mind off of everything that happened. Luckily, nothing else has been on my mind but revenge for the one that I hate most, the one that took all my hope from me. I've been planing this whole operation for years now and now we have a weakness in the RFA that we can take.

First, plant the phone with the messenger app on the select person he chooses who he think will fit into the RFA group and steer things in the direction I want them to go in.

Second, monitor the RFAs movements and statuses to see if the mission is going well, and if it isn't then I'll have to take measures into his own hands.

That's all the solid steps I have so far, there are to many variables to come up with a hard plan on what to do. Even the first and second steps are extremely moldable to the situation at hand.

The dark room around me keeps me focused on the work at hand, trying to find a person that he thinks is fit for the job, scanning though and thoroughly in digital files in look for that one perfect match. A girl like Mc was, maybe with just a little less common sense. Mc was to perfect for this job, I took that risk and absolutely ruined her. The thoughts that I've been trying to avoid for the past few days were flooded in my mind, maybe it's past overdue to maybe visit her? No, that's just a distraction, she's just a distraction. She must be totally different then who she was before now, since that snake the 'savior' filled her mind with those lies. The screen goes fuzzy before my eyes, and I press the palms of my hands to my eyes, taking deep breaths to help me calm down. What the savior took away from Mc was especially important to me, because if I lost my memory of before this place, I would have no purpose staying here, my revenge, my memory of my brother, all that is keeping me going now would be gone.

Maybe I should take a break from all of this. I was the one who did this to Mc, it's my fault, so I should go see her.

When I left the tech room, the light from the hall was almost blinding to me, looking down and squinting my eyes hoping that they will soon adjust to the sudden brightness change. I walked down the hall looking down, turning down the many different routes to head to the medical wing, hoping that the savior doesn't find out that he's not working to go check on Mc, knowing that I was already on the fence from getting majorly punished from her.

I make it to the hospital room and look around the many beds to see if Mc was in her, and she was. In the vary back, she was laying in the sterile white sheets, sleeping peacefully. I quickly walk over to her, kneeling beside the low hospital bed to be at eye level with her. She looked so at peace sleeping, almost reminding me of who she use to be before I got involved in her. It was vary bittersweet, seeing her with such peace and innocence, but knowing that I took that away from her.

I softly take her hand into both of mine, her small and cool hand barely filling mine. Taking a deep breath, I softly press my forehead against our hands, a strong urge to do what I grew up doing with my brother, something that I've abandoned once I joined this 'paradise'. With the thought of plea for Mc to get better, as well as wanting forgiveness, I start to pray silently in my head, keeping my hands tightly and comfortably around hers.

I don't know how long I stayed there, maybe close to an hour? I really wanted to talk with her, but it seemed like she wasn't going to wake up from her quiet rest. Hesitantly, I let go of her hand, knowing that I probably shouldn't be trying to help her. I stands up and softly brush my fingers across her hair to push away a stray strand that was in her face,

"I'll see you later, maybe" I mumbled softly to her before making my way to the exit. What does she remember? What did she forget? Did she regain her memory or did Rika keep feeding her lies?

~~~~~

(( MC's POV))

I woke up in time to hear the door to the hospital wing start to close, seeing the white haired boy with the tattoo starting to walk away. It was him again. The first person that I saw and how he was acting strangely when the Savior was talking with me, that boy who kept showing up in her weird mishmashed dreams of things she didn't recognize, the boy that the Savior told her wasn't important. Who was he?


	16. Clear

((Jihyun's POV))

"Rika, what you did was risky.." I said to her as I fallow her back to her office from the hospital wing where we left the new girl.

"V, I already told you that it wasn't your decision to make. It was mine" her voice was calm, yet her cold undertone bit into me. The mutter under her breath with a soft sigh was bearly autoble from her, not even knowing if she actually did or if I just imagined it because I expected her to, not being able to actually see her face. I paused for a moment, trying to think of the right thing to say, knowing that she got vary competitive and controlling easily.

"I wasn't saying that it was risky for Mc, I was saying it was risky for Saeran. I know he's been working harder since the girl was put in the hospital, but how did the whole event effect his and your relationship?"

"JIHYUN! I already told you that it's my problem to handle!! And if I want to handle it in this way then I will!! I don't mind sacrificing his loyalty to me as long as he still listens to me out of fear!! You hear me??" She yelled angerly back to me, the blur of the gold from her hair dramatically flying almost as she turned around to face me. I looked down, almost to seem smaller then her so she didn't feel so intimidated.

"I understand that, Rika, but we /both/ brought him here, therefore he isn't just /yours/..." I said in a calm way back, knowing that trying to fight fire with fire with her isn't the best idea. "...He's vary much like his brother, if you try to control him to much negativity, he will revolt."

She went silent, and I heard her mutter more, the gold filling more of my poor excuse for vision as she turned back around, the clicking sound of her heels starting up against the tile floor as she walked away quickly.

\--------------

((Mc's POV))

Every now and then I would try to stand, but the blood that rushes to my head that causes my head to ache always makes me lay back down, thinking that maybe later I'll actually stand up, but I say that every time it seemed.

I know who I am now, I'm Myun Cho, one of the best at mint eye. That didn't seem right though, my name doesn't roll off my tongue as if it were my own. The only thing that really seemed similar in this place was that boy that I've only seen twice.

Maybe this time I'll get it. I carefully swing my legs over the bed and slowly prop myself up. If I stay sitting for a while, will that help? I take deep breaths as I slowly started to put my weight onto my feet and stood, closing my eyes as the pressure starts to form in my head, making the bruised and injured spot on my head pound in ache.

"Mc! What are you doing? You're going to hurt yourself more" a weirdly familiar boyish voice called out to me from the doorway. Before I could turn around to see who it was, I felt a secure grasp on my arm that helped me to sit back down slowly so it wouldn't make my head hurt more. Looking up to see who it was, I finally realized why the voice seemed so familiar, remembering that I heard that vary same voice when I woke up with nothing except blood on my pillow and him laying next to me.

"You're...." I said softly to myself. "What's your name?" I asked with an almost obvious ambition in my tone, finally hoping to get questions solved that the Savior would refuse to tell me.

"Oh yeah.... heh, I almost forgot that I needed to introduce myself to you again.." I heard the hurt in his voice as he looked down. His gaze on me went from fermiliarity to looking at me as if I was a stranger, like something clicked in his head. "I'm Saeran." He finally said in a more formal and cool tone, much different from the warmth and care from earlier, the look on his face telling me that he may have spoke in such care by accident.

"Nice to meet you, again. Sorry I can't remember you.. I'm Myun.. but I'm sure you already knew that, it just felt weird with you introducing yourself and me don't doing it too." I said with a sort of forced laugh, pulling up my knees to my chest as I sat there looking at him, studying his face that made me feel like I was experiencing Deja vu.

"Wait... what? Myun?" I heard him mugged with absolute confusion in his voice.

"Yes. Myun. Why?" I asked, the name starting to fit more and more as I called myself it.

"That's not right" he said quickly to me, a flash of fire in his eyes. A quiet laugh of insanity came from between his lips and I start to scoot away a bit in a way so he can't tell. How sane is he?? Am I safe here with him?? Is this why the Savior told me to stay away from him?? He took my arms in a tight grip, looking at me in the eyes.

"You are NOT Myun. You hear me" he tryed to sound convincing, but all I was was scared. 

"What else did she change??" He said an an almost mixture of fear of what might happen, anger of whoever he was talking about, and maybe even a hint of care in his eyes as he looked at me.


	17. Change to Reversion

((Saerans POV))

I held her wrists tightly in my hands, pleading her to tell me what they told her, but she didn't say anything, all she had was that fear in her eyes that I haven't seen since before she decided to work with me, here. It seemed like this whole situation jumped directly to this, I don't even remember grabbing her wrists like this. I slowly let go, wanting her to trust me again, or at least trust me as much as she trusted me before, which was definitely more then this.

"Please.. Mc. Er...Myu-... no, definitely Mc." I said with many corrections, but finally deciding that her original name, her untainted name, will be best to use if I wanted her to get better. "Mc please, Please tell me what they told you, so I can tell you the truth-..?" I pleaded, just wanting my Mc back.

"Ray, may I please speak with you" I heard coming from behind me at the doorway, recognizing the voice immediately. I nodded silently and stood up, hesitantly leaving Mcs side and turning around and walked to the door, knowing he was probably waiting in the hallway so I could talk with him.

"Ray, I just wanted to say-" V started just as I stepped in front of him, actually, I'm quite disappointed that he can't see the expression on my face that I'm giving him right now.

"Save it. I don't want to hear it." I mumbled, knowing I probably sounded like a child, but that's one of the ways I get V to let me have my way, If I remind him of me as a child, remind him of when he actually cared for me.

"Ray just listen to me." he said sort of sternly, just like the voice he used when I was a kid and he was scolding me for fucking something up. "If you want to help her you can, Rikas call on this wasn't thought through to the consequences. I would actually suggest helping her regain her memory, just, be careful." And just like that, I heard the caring tone in his voice that I heard the first day I met him, and I trusted that. I needed in agreement to his proposal, helping Mc get her memory back.

"Thank you" I managed to say, my voice cracking and frail. I guess I am still that kid, on the inside. V must've noticed that, he held his arms open for me, and I instinctively lean in against his embrace feeling like I'm ten again.

"Ray, I think it will be best if you are the one to tell her the truth. Trust me, tell her the truth and nothing but the truth. I don't care if she will think more poorly of you when you tell her you're the one who took her to this place against her will, because if you lie, and she regains her memory naturally, you and her will just be right back at square one, or worse." V explains quietly as he let me go, still holding on my shoulders and facing me. I nod and dab my sleeve at the corner of my eyes to keep from smudging my eyeliner, knowing I was probably crying a bit. I quickly turn and walk away, not wanting V to know I was crying. I take a deep breath as I walk back up to Mc, standing at the foot of her bed, hearing the springs of the mattress creak as she scooted away again.

"I'm sorry.. I just got angry." I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I continued to keep my gaze down and away from hers. "I'll wait-.. I'll wait for whenever you're ready. Umm. I don't want to force you? Like bef-.. well.. just let me know."

This time will be different.


	18. Who am I...

((Myun's POV (MC) ))

The score was 18/4, I was winning. I feel like Saeran was going easy on me though, which is probably why I have such a far lead ahead rather then a short lead. It's been a few days and I definitely have been feeling better, and the Savior encouraged me to get back to my training so I didn't completely deteriorate. So I've been spending my time training with Saeran, or studying.

"Why are you holding back on me!" I was completely healed, why is he being such a wimp?!

"No matter what the savior or the medical team tells you, you are not completely healed. It takes time," he explained, but why did he say 'Savior' in that tone? Or trust them? He is truly a wimp. I lunge forward with the Bo Staff in my hands, landing a blow on his shoulder that sent him flying backwards, almost like he wasn't holding his ground at all. And he just laid there with his weapon only loose in his hand, he looked fine, but he wasn't moving.

"Why are you so different?? The Savior, and V, and all the others said you are ruthless and stubborn.." I said in a scowl towards him. Why did I feel so angry at this? At him? I just looked at him for a while, feeling hot tears to my eyes. Whatever, I won this, I'm done. I threw the staff down to his feet, and he propped himself up to look at me, just a regret and a sadness in his eyes. I couldn't take it.

I leave.

Still shoeless from the dojo, and my face probably flaming red, I make my way to my room, everyone who passed me completely avoiding me. Well, everyone except for one person. I was looking down so I only saw their feet at first, how they stopped and stood right in front of me.

"Myun." I looked up and saw V standing in front of me,

"V," I replied, trying to be polite in my greetings, taking a deep breath to try to calm down, "yes? What is it?"

"How was your training? The Savior would have come to ask herself, but she's been really busy lately." He explained, just looking straight forward as he always did. Did they forget to tell me that he was blind, or something?

"Um.. good? Fought with Saeran again. He's such a wimp, I don't know why people say he's the best here.." with that comment, he took one step closer to me, he seemed upset, but then he calmed down again. Why was he upset? I wish I just had all of my memories, I bet all of my questions would be answered.

"Myun.. um. What has Saeran tried to tell you?" He asked quietly, almost like this conversation suddenly got confidential. "Listen to him. He isn't lying to you.. and I know he can be intimidating when- you know.. I can start you off by saying that Myun isn't your real name.. have a good day, Mc." And then he just walked past me. How could he drop a bomb of information like that and just leave me? I felt stuck to the ground, like a tree, and completely exposed.

I was looking around frantically, someone, please, tell me who I am? Give me my memories back? Please, because i obviously cannot trust these ones.

—————————————————————

((Saeran's Pov))

I guess she isn't coming back anytime soon, not that I'm surprised, she seemed pretty pissed at me. I just clean up the dojo: wiping down the floor, putting the bo staffs away, all of that crap.

I just wasn't expecting running into her when I was headed back to my room.

She seemed frozen in the middle of the hallway, an extreme confusion on her face. She met eyes with mine, and for once it wasn't out of fear or annoyance,

"Mc, what's going on? Are you alright?" I made sure that I was careful when I gripped her shoulders in my hands to steady her, to ground her back to reality.

"Everyone keeps calling me Mc. you insisted on calling me Mc when I first woke up.. why? T-the Savior said my name was Myun.." I could sense the feeling of betrayal in her voice, "obviously She isn't telling me something, but why? Shouldn't I trust her?? Does it make me a bad follower since I'm contemplating this??" She looked up at me, and I saw my Mc again, she was close to me. 

"You're not in the wrong, I promise. She is.." I look around quickly, I don't want anyone to hear this controversial conversation. I look back to her, seeing a kind of trust in her gaze. Today wasn't the day I was expecting this to happen, although I'm glad it happened sooner then later. I took her hand into my own, her small and soft hand, with my other hand high on her back to lead her, "come on, let me take you to your room. We can talk about this more there."


	19. What I’ve Done

((Saeran's pov))

"Soo, you kidnaped me, and that's why I'm here?"

"To put it shortly-... yes.." I wasn't proud of that fact, but it was definitely a true fact. "I- um.. needed help with my current mission, and I was planning for you to be a double agent in the plan, without you knowing you were being a double agent of course, but-" I started, pressing my face into my palms as i sat in my desk chair, facing my bed where Mc was sitting.

"Buttttt- something went wrong-" she asked softly, and i nodded in response.

"You discovered I was tricking you.. I panicked and knocked you out, bringing you here to try to figure out what to do with you." It was hard explaining this, reliving this. But I have to tell her, it's unfair for me to keep this from her just because i'm uncomfortable with it, i'm the one who took it from her. "So yeah, that's why you work here. I can give you your files if you want? I saved them on my laptop to make sure we had a backup; which i guess was a good plan since rika deleted your original file and replaced it with a fake." She quickly stood up, a glimmer of hope in her eyes,

"May I see it please??" I turn around and quickly log into my laptop, searching through the many files, "did i have a family?? What was my job?? Did i have any hobbies??!" She sounded so exciting to find out, but i also heard a sadness in her voice, probably not wanting to find out what she left behind.

I pulled the file up and turned the laptop to face her. I look away, not wanting to see her expression as she reads it; she's right, I am a whimp, I took this life from her and now i'm scared to face her reaction.

The silence was cutting me like a sharp knife, but I think hearing her start to sniffle definitely hurt more,

"I'm sorry.."

"It's fine... you-.. you couldn't leave anything behind or else rika would-... Yeah-... i'm just disappointed that it was me I guess." I turned to face her as she was wiping her eyes, "can I see your mission file, please?? Perhaps-.. perhaps i can still help you, and- Nevermind." I nod and take the computer back, pulling up all my notes on the mission to destroy my brother.

"I can print these two files out for you, you can have them" i suggested, it's a good idea for her to have her own file anyway; I have mine hidden under my mattress. "I'll print these out and organize the files for you. I'll give them to you tomorrow at training."

"Alright. See you tomorrow then" she said as she stood up, putting her hand on my shoulder as if to tell me it's alright, then leaving my room. I wait a few minutes just sitting there in my own silence, waiting for her to leave the general vicinity. My chest was on fire, I had to let it out, I HAD to or else I felt like I would explode. I closed my computer as i quickly stood up, pulling my gun from the holster and shot at the wall,

Once

Twice

Three times

Now i'm not even keeping count, feeling hot tears streaming down my face as I quickly used out this whole round, shaking as i reaches for my belt to reload, not lifting my eyes from the dusty drywall I left completely lacerated with holes. I was struggling with getting the new round from my belt, tugging and pulling at the button. I couldn't continue though, i felt a cool hand on my wrist and pulling it away from my body, others holding onto my shoulders tightly to hold be back, the gun being torn from my hand.

"LET ME GO!" I thrashed around as I cried out, feeling the flames in my chest finally being let out,

"Saeran, you have to calm down!" Vs voice called out, seemingly all around me. More fire was lit, imagining him conspiring with rika to trick me. I make my knees fall so I go limp, so i'm hard to hold onto.

"LET. ME. FUCKING. GO!" I yelled as turned around quickly, but unable to see the people restraining me, the tears blurring my vision. "Pleasepleasepleaseplease i made this happen to her i-i can't-" I can't fight them all, i just let them hold my arms down.

~~~~~~

They brought me to Rikas office, even through i said i'd just be fine to go to the shooting range for a while. I hate facing rika after something like that- it's so patronizing..

"Are you alright, saeran?" Rika asked, sitting at her desk, looking at me as if i was a science experiment she needs to examine.

"Yes"

"I think you meant to say no." She said as she wrote down some notes. Patronizing. I just sink in my seat. "What caused the outburst this time.." she seemed annoyed. Last time I lashed out like this, she told me that i need to grow up and control myself more. Patronizing.

"Um... i'm just mad at myself... for what I've done to Mc and such" I couldn't find myself to look her in the eyes, i can feel the cold stare. I sink farther in my seat, "can I go now? I just told you, that's what you want to know, right??"

"Yes, that is what i want to know, but **is is spi***** o** of ************** **************..." her voice was fazing out as i was just tuning her out; this is the part where she yells at me for not being able to control myself.

"Go, hide. Hide saeran!" I quickly turn around to try to face where the familiar voice was coming from, the ghostly voice of my brother.

"Saeran, what are you looking at?" Rika snapped,

"Y-you didn't-... Nevermind" i turn back around, and continue to ignore her, but I can still hear the ghostly voices of my brother; my hands shaking.


	20. To Help You

This isn't a new thing. I've been having these hallucinations again since I've started on the mission. It hasn't happened in years, so I just thought it was gone, over with; I guess not. It is mostly auditory, which is so frustrating because I can't escape it, but the visual ones are annoying too. Seeing my mother just out of the corner of my eye just to turn and have her not be there, my heart stops whenever I see the coldness in her face, I'm always so terrified shitless until I realize she's not actually here, or until she disappears. No, I haven't told anyone this is happening again, although can assume that they figured out something is up by now.

"Saeran? You've been starring at the wall for a straight ten minutes now. you good?" I seem to knock out of whatever trance I was in, quickly looking up at Mc in a way to perhaps shrug off the fact I was completely out of it, maybe she'll think I'm perfectly fine.

"Yeah, Mc, I'm alright. Don't worry" I give a soft smile her way before looking down at my hands, a slight tremble to my fingertips. I shove my hands in my pockets before looking back up to her and standing up. Her hair was soaked from just having taken a shower; I was waiting for her in the locker room of the training hall for her to finish cleaning up after our morning training session.

"Don't worry? You know this isn't the first time I've caught you with a million mile stare. So maybe drop the 'don't worry' bullshit please?" She asked me with a soft chuckle in her voice, but the slight upturn in her tone made it obvious she was worried. 

"Fine! I sorta vowed to myself to never hide anything from you anymore anyways...." I glance to her to see she was looking right at me, the shock of our eyes instantly meeting making me instinctively pull my gaze down to the floor as quietly as possible. "When I was younger, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Although, in the recent years I thought they perhaps got the diagnosis wrong because I hadn't shown symptoms in ages. But- recently-"

"Recently you've been showing symptoms again?" She asked. I only nodded in a response, thinking it was ridiculous for me to even doubt what the doctors had told me. And there I was again, hoping Mc can help me solve all my problems. "Symptoms like wha-"

"Like I said Mc. You don't have to worry about it." I didn't want to force another one of my problems upon her. Anyway, she's already working on the mission, all her attention needs to be on that time sensitive assignment.

"Well-.... ok. Maybe you can talk to V about it?" She was right to choose to say V instead of Rika. I think at this point we both have a mutual distrust for her, so V is at the top of both of our lists instead.

"No." I don't want to. To much of a hassle at this point, and it'll draw us, me, away from my main goal.

—————————————————————

I knock on the dark wood double doors that leads into Vs office; this doors aren't nearly as grand as Rikas, but still extremely decorative when compared to the steel or painted plywood doors in the rest of this place. A soft muffled of a ' come in' comes from the other side of the thick doors, and I open them to walk in. This probably wasn't right, going behind Saerans back like this, but it also wouldn't be right to just leave him with his own problems he's having alone.

"Oh! Mc! That's a surprise. Please, come in and sit down, I'll be over to you in a second," V was standing at a table over at the far side of the room, using a paper trimmer to hand cut his photos to perfectly fit the frames he had sprawled out across the table, open and ready to have a picture put in. All the walls in his office was covered in framed photographs, a beautiful collage of beautiful photos. I sit down just as he seemed to perfectly drop the one he was cutting into its new home,

"So, why did you come to see me? You don't ever come to see me like this, something must be wrong I assume." I don't even know what words I'd use to describe him, he's like an all knowing god, yet he's a gullible pushover and still obviously a human that can make mistakes. Maybe perhaps he's like an older brother who just knows everything for some reason? Sure

"Yeah- um. I don't really know how to start this actually. It's more about Saeran." I started, my heart starting to beat hard against my chest at the thought of telling V what Saeran confided in me. "He said he's experiencing his schizophrenic symptoms again."

"I thought so-" V sounded concerned. He lifted the frame up to show a beautiful photo of a flower perfectly composed within, before he put the frame back down to just lean against the table with his hands sprawled out against the surface, his face looking down. "Did he say anything else? What the episodes might be of, perhaps-"

"No- sorry. He stoped talking about it almost as soon as he started. He didn't want me involved in it, it seemed. Kept saying I shouldn't worry."

"It's alright-...... I'll keep you updated on him if he won't, Mc. But for now, he's right, don't worry about this, focus on your task at hand. I can deal with Saeran while you can keep working on yours and saerans mission." He lifted himself up, and walked to the desk, sitting down across from me as he fixed his shades. "I won't tell rika unless necessary. And I'll make sure Saeran can still work on the mission with you. But this is a time sensitive project, and if it doesn't get finished in time-"

"I understand" I interject, my voice confident in my words. I do understand, I understand I need to keep working to get this done, I need to work to make sure we succeed- but I also want to see Saeran ok. This is the whole reason we're doing this mission for, for him, so he needs to be ok for this..


	21. Message... Sent

Saeran and I have been composing this message for over a week now, we want it to be perfect; it needs to provide me a spot within their little gang, it needs to give me a first impression of innocence and confusion, I need to gain trust.

We sit within the lab as we both contemplate the actual start of our mission. Sitting on the sofa, the papers with all the case mission details are spread out on the worn down coffee table in front of us, but the only thing We're were playing attention to was the phone Rika gave us.

"Send it." Saeran said softly, looking at the phone that was in my hand, the lighten up screen with the message board.

_I just found this phone in a subway station._

_It just has this messaging app on it._

_I just want to find the owner of this phone._

That's as good as we're going to get it I think, while still staying on schedule of course.

"Any reply's yet?" Saeran spoke so impatiently, practicality siting his chin on my shoulder as he gazed at the phone screen.

"Of course not! I just sent it!" I glance up to him, but I'm that moment the phone buzzes in my hand.

**707-Who is this?**

**Yoosung- A GHOST**

**Jumin- It's not a ghost, Yoosung.**

**707- how did you ACTUALLY get this phone? It wouldn't have been in a subway station I don't think.**

**Jumin- Calm down, I'm sure there's a perfectly explainable reason for this.**

**Zen- like a GHOST**

**Yoosung- RIGHT!?!?**

"what should I say?" To be honest I'm panicking quite a bit,

"Just, say who you are! Or something!" Saeran seemed like he was panicked too.

_I'm not a Ghost! I'm a girl!_

_I just want to find the owner of this phone._

**Jumin- well that will be quite difficult.**

**Zen- Oh! What's your name!**

**707- sounds sketchy to me.**

_I promise you, nothing is going on!_

_What is this anyway that requires such secrecy? A lads chat or something?_

**Zen- NEVER**

**Jaehee- I'm here too, I'm probably more of a ghost on this chat then she is.**

**Nice to meet you, I'm Jaehee, only woman on this messaging board until now.**

**Yoosung- Jaehee don't tell her your name!**

**707- Yeah! It's a dangerous world out there Jaehee.**

**Jaehee- our names are tagged with each message we send, it doesn't matter.**

"You're doing good," Saeran mumbled as he gazed over my shoulder still,

**Jumin- other then the mystery girl, her name isn't shown.**

_If it helps to know, I go by Mc._

**Zen- Nice to meet you Mc**

**Yoosung- Nice to meet ya!**

_Soooo my question was never answered. What is this chat that needs such security and secrecy?_

**707- it's an exclusive fundraising group**

**I guess we have a spot open if you want to take it**

**But I don't think this is gonna be a thing for much longer, nothing happens**

**Yoosung- it's booorrrriiinnngggg**

**(_ _).｡o○**

**Jaehee- I quite like it, no need to schedule around anything!**

**Yoosung- of course you would..**

**Jaehee- you try working for Jumin!**

_I feel a bit out of place here. Are you sure I'm invited to join?_

**Zen- I think it would be fun to have a new member!**

**Jumin- I'll have to talk with V about this, but sure.**

**707- just email me your mailing address and such and I'll get you all situated to be part of this thing.**

**I'm listening you as party organizer.**

_What? Isn't that a bit to fast?!_

**707- I don't think so. It isn't hard, just reply to emails so that people come.**

**It'll be fun! ♪( 'θ｀)ノ**

_I guess I can try!_

"Well, that went well." I said in a sigh, putting the phone down in front of me, and leaning back onto Saeran.

"You're not done! You still need to email my brother the information he asked for!" He groaned as I laid on him, squishing him until he pushed me back up. "Remember, you're mailing address isn't here, it's a PO Box in Seoul. And here's your personal info, we made I.Ds for you so if they ask to see your drivers license or whatever here it is-" he passes me a stack of stuff with a fake name on it, fake birthday, all of it,

"Myun Chae. You kept the name Rika gave me? Vary tasteful.." I spoke monotone, sarcastic. I opened up a new email within the app, including all the information I thought he might have needed before I sent it. THEN I leaned back again on Saeran, squishing him even more.

"Yeah! I thought it was a good fake nam- yOW! Mc! Ow! Get offf!" I laughed rather maniacally as he tried to push me off him again, it won't work this time. "At least let me get comfortable!"

"Fine!" I sit up a bit, letting him adjust before I laid back against him. He put his arms around me, and held me close in a hug, "so, today is basically the first day of our mission. Well, of your mission. I hope we don't screw it up." He buried his face loosely in my hair; this has been happening more and more lately, I think it's a coping mechanism. "Saeran, is it happening again?"

"Yeah.." he mumbled, along with murmuring 'shut up' a few times, "it's nothing, you're helping."

"Ok." I reach my hand up and glide my fingers through his hair, "maybe, if you talk to V about this then he can get you medication?" The phone buzzed a few times against the surface of the table,

"You should answer that, I'm fine, promise."

There were two emails.

Thanks for the info! I'll set up your actual account and start to share your account email to people we normally invite.

Thanks for doing this! ☆～（ゝ。∂）

-707

And,

Mc,

I think it is fantastic that you decided to join us and help out. I am attending my own fundraiser for my own company this weekend, and a few people who you will be reaching out to will be there. I'm going to link the invitation to this fundraiser party to this email, it will be important that you go and show your face to some of these people and talk to them about what we are planning so they can look forward to it and tell others.

Looking forward to meeting you,

Jumin Han

C&R International


	22. The C&R Fundraiser

It was just as elaborate and embellished as I would have expected from a fundraiser hosted by a company like C&R. The floor was glistening the gold lights from the chandeliers above, the walls of windows looking over the bright nightlife of Seoul. The catering looked as expensive as money could buy, and the guests were even fancier with their flowing silk dresses and perfectly fitted suits. I felt out of place wearing the dress I wore to a wedding years ago; at least that’s what Saeran said the dress was from.

The crowd looked dazzling, and intimidating. I thought someone from the fundraising association would probably have come to get me? Now that I think about it, how would they even know I'm here? I don't know what they look like, They don't know what I look like, how will this work?I stand in the corner, siping on a glass of champagne that one of the servers handed me as I scan over the crowd for something I could respond to. 

"this party is so lavish!" I heard from a conversation passing by

"I hope there isn't any gluten in these appetizers, that would be silly of Mr.Han if he requested such a thing." I heard from another conversation.

"do you think Mr.Han is even here? I haven't seen him yet."

"If I hosted this party, I swear half of the people here wouldn't have even been invited..."

"I've invited Mc to this fundraiser, I would hope shes here by now." "what if she didn't see your email?" in this chaos of conversation in this room, I finally hear something that sounds familiar. I look over and see a striking man, jet black hair and wearing an expensive looking tailored suit. the other he was talking to had firey red hair and looked quite eccentric, wearing large leopard print glasses and wearing an orange blazer over a t-shirt; definitely not an outfit that would be in line with the dress code Jumin sent me. another thing struck me though, that guy with the red hair looked almost identical to Saeran. His twin brother.

I continue tosip at the champagne, making my way over to the elite looking group the two were talking to, knowing that my dress looks way to cheep to be here and to talk to the CEO of the C&R company, but that was my mission. I had to stop my chest from feeling fluttery and embarrassed.

"Oh! It's Myun! good evening, I was concerned you weren't coming." the tall man with the jetblack hair spoke up in an enthusiastic grace. I figured that was Jumin, but now I'm certain.

"its just Mc-" I smiled and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. The whole conversation stoped just for me. "I was running a bit late, sorry, I couldn't find an outfit to wear. um- I also didn't really know who I was looking for when I actually arrived."

"hmm, oh yeah, sorry about that, I should have sent pictures or something attached to the email-" he looks to the red haired man and a woman to his right. "Mc, its a pleasure to finally meet you, I'm Jumin Han." he held his hand out to me, formally introducing himself to me in a way that seemed rehearsed, or at least in a way that seems like hes done it thousands of times before. I take his hand, confirming that the pleasure was all mine. "Here beside me is my assistent Jaehee, you two may have spoke on the chat. and this man you would know as 707."

"Nice to meet you Mc, Im glad there's finally another girl in the group!" jaehee smiled. 707 didn't really say anything, just grinned like a child and held up a peace sign in greetings.

"over there is Zen, hes just talking to the talent agencies I invited. over there handing out the appetizers is Yoosung; he works as an assistant here, so I had him work the party. I'll introduce you guys in person later- but for now I'd like to have a chat with you." I could feel my hands growing clammy, but I've rehearsed this over and over, I should be fine. "Jaehee, if you please take over for me?" she nods with a hidden exasperated sigh before going to speak to the guests on jumin's behalf. "And Mc, if you would follow me please?" We weave through the crowd over to the windows of the great hall room. I didn't know there was a balcony, doors leading out onto the dark rooftop that looked over the great city and the great party. The wind was somewhat cold, but the warm summer night counteracted it, it was a pleasant evening.

"Im sorry I can't introduce you to the leader of our group, V. he cant make it to the party, he's away on a trip for work."

"Thats fine. work is work.." I mumble as I lean against the railing. its ironic, I know V isn't away, hes just doing work for the Mint Eye back at the center, I guess no one here knows about it. "I actually had a question, I was accepted to join but I still have no clue how you were founded, or why you're in decline. could you perhaps fill me in on the details? as long as you didn't have anything specific you wanted to talk with me about-"

"No, its fine, I just figured it would be good to get to know you. we should know who we hired as our party organizer." I guess that is a good plan on their behalf, I have to be careful though. "the way were founded was nothing special, just a group of friends who came together to help, I guess. we gained a lot of renown and thats when we flourished; our reputation was high."

"so, what happened?

"well, our leader passed away.. she was the one who held us all together after graduation and expanded our group to include 707 and Yoosung. When she died was the first step to our downfall."

"oh. Im so sorry." Play the part, thats my job. Play a version of myself that has no connections to Rika, V, saerans brother, or anything else. I need to keep reminding myself to act like how I would act if saeran never hired me, if I just found that phone and played along. He seemed so sad, I had to resist telling him that Rika was ok.

"thank you. I've done my best to move on from it, but her death still weighs heavily on parts of the group- Yoosung and V specifically, and maybe 707, I can't tell."

"thank you for telling me.. I hope no one resents me for taking her place-"

"I doubt they do, don't worry." there was a pause of silence, the loud cars on the street below stood out. "lets discuss something else." he suggested, I nodded. "hmmm... do you have any pets? hobbies? interests?" It was leading just into smalltalk now,

"I don't have any pets, I have a friend who acts like a spoiled puppy, but other then that I don't have any pets." I laugh when the thought pops into my head of saeran being a dog who needs guidance, but to my knowledge he really does. "and I'm to busy juggling work and school to do anything else hobby wise"

"well thats definitely something!" jumin laughs along, "what are you studying? where do you work? those must have something to do with your interests?"

"Im an intern, nothing special. And I'm just taking general studies currently, although I'm thinking about studying business!" I'm just pulling things out of my ass. of course these aren't true! sure I was planing on going back to school before saeran showed up, and working at the Mint Eyecounts as an internship? I just said I was interested in business to suck up to jumin. "do you have any pets? or any interests outside of work?" I switch it to make him the focus other them me. I need some recharging to do on this improv, and I need to know stuff about him as well to actually get this mission moving.

"my work is an all time gig, pretty much no breaks. and when I have one im just exhausted to do anything else! I do have a joy though-" he pulls out his phone, taking a second to scroll though his phone, "ah! heres a good one." he faces his phone to me, and on the screen was a photo of a beautiful fluffy white kitty, "This is Elizabeth the third, shes my pride and joy,"

"she's so pretty! she looks like she could win competitions!"

"she has, many prestigious competitions. but I don't love her because of that, shes just precious."

our conversations ranged from talking about Elizabeth III to talking about clothing, politics, and where Jumin is planing on taking C&R in the future of growth. by the end of the conversation we turn back around to join the party once again to see that the amount of guests have diminished from a few hundred to less then twenty people. It seemed like time flew, and by the end of the evening neither of us have succeeded on what we had set out to do for the fundraiser, look for clients on the party floor. Good thing the others were on it and did it. I could see jaehee, 707, zen, and yoosung all siting at a table and chatting; they all looked exhausted. Jumin says that hell fulfill the promise he made earlier to introduce me to the others, so we head inside over to the group.

"Jumin! you disappeared forever! where did you go!" saerans twin spoke up, leaning back with his hands against his head with a tired smile; him and saeran both have the same cute tired smile..

"Talking with Mc on the balcony."

"This is Mc! youre right jaehee! she isn't a ghost!" Yoosung spoke in the same way I'd expect from his chat stile over the messaging app. "Im the cousin of our last leader, thats how I'm part of this group I guess!"

"I'm not a ghost. surprise!" I laugh, doing a little jazz hand dance to hopefully give a playful and kind first impression. "and you're Rikas cousin? That's cool!" Jumin looks at me sort of suspected,,

"I never mentioned Rikas name." Jumin spoke quietly and inquisitively. shit. I fucked up, I fucked up harrrddddd!

"haha well you must've! how would I have known her name otherwise?" I laugh and try to play it off, he was thinking hard.

"maybe." a silence followed, it was tense and stressful, I hoped no one could hear the beating of my heart since it felt like it was beating out of my chest. Zen was the first to break the silence, trying to return it to normal conversation.

"of course you can't be a ghost, you're too pretty!" he braiding and unbraiding the ends of his hair in boredom. "I'm Zen, you may have seen me on tv?" ........ "orrrrrr not? its fine if you haven't, I'm still trying to get myself out there."

"its nice to meet you all," I said with a smile, looking among the group.

"Jaehee, can you go dismiss the rest of the guests please? I think its late enough for everyone to go home." Jumin states, loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top button to finally let himself breath. "you all are dismissed as well. Mc, may I walk you to your car?"

"sure!" i respond with a soft nod. Jumin whispers something to Jaehee, then smiles over at me,

"lets go then. have a nice night everyone" he said to the others, I did the same, before he escorted me out and walked me to the basement parking garage. the walk to my car was silent, but not the same awkward silence as before, more comfortable, like it suited the situation.

"this car is mine." I pointed out, pulling the keys from my purse clutch.

"alright." he took a deep breath with an exasperated sigh, like stress has been relieved from his chest. "tonight was nice, Mc, thank you for the break from work. although ill have to make up for the lack of diplomacy between my guests later." he said with a small uplift of the corners of his lips, "send a message over the chat when you get home, so we know you're safe." he takes another deep breath as if hes going to say something, but hesitates and lets out the breath, "have a good rest of your night, Mc" he said before he walked away back to the elevator.

I pull out my phone as I step into the car, locking the doors and starting the car to get a soft melody from the radio to play rather then the strange quiet after a night of conversation and music. I pull up a chat with Saeran, 'all went good, I think'

'good, see you soon! we can talk about it more when you get back'


End file.
